The Shorewood school district athletic complex is in desperate need of renovation. The article about the official launch of the fundraising drive is welcome news. While there will certainly be discussions about what exact design elements are appropriate, nobody can seriously argue that our current facilities are sufficient.
Here are some factors to keep in mind during what is sure to be lively and ongoing discussion:
1. It is one of the main entrances to our village. As it stands now, visitors entering Shorewood from the west are greeted by what is, in my opinion, the least visually appealing plot of land in Shorewood.
2. The need for renovation is a matter of safety. The field was not safe to play on back when I was in high school. I cannot imagine what it is like now. To this day, I have scars on my arms from being tackled at home football games. The field had roughly the consistency of poured concrete back in the mid-1990s.
3. Putting down artificial turf would allow greatly expanded uses of the field. I will be called names by football purists for advocating the use of artificial turf, but I am going to do so all the same. If we put down artificial turf, the field could theoretically be used 24/7 without degrading the playing surface. Many more organizations could use the field and contribute to paying for its upkeep. Examples include UWM team, Milwaukee Kickers, Messmer teams, adult flag football leagues, etc. In my view, this model would be much more sustainable from an economic standpoint than simply replacing the grass.
4. A new field would allow us to host expanded levels of competition. Regional track meets, and regulation soccer games cannot be held in our current facilities.
5. The improved facility could become another piece of our community center. As we look to restore Oakland and Capitol, this would provide another community space we could all enjoy. Some of the preliminary sketches of what the field could be are very visually appealing.
I will track down some of the pictures and post them here.
